Holder for flies of boots and shoes.



J. J. SMITH. HOLDER FOR FLIES 0F BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3, 1899.

930,426. Paitented Aug. 10, 1909.

c 7 JU'EEF'HJEIMITH.

ANDREW. a. GRAHAM om PHoro-unmm nms. wlsnmmou, a. c.

7? ATT Y5- UNITED sTATEsrATEnT OFFICE.

JOSEPH J. snrrn, or A nov R, ,nissaonusnrrs ssienon To vIo'ronIA SELF-LAOING COMPANY, or PORTLANQ MnINE HO DE FORFLIES or BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

Application filed April 3, 1899. SerialN'o. 711,496.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known thatI, JOSEPH J .SMITH, of Andover, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Holders for Flies of Boots and Shoes, of

which the following descriptiomin connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a novel holder for the flies or eyeleted edges of boots and shoes.

My improved holderincludes a bar or car rier having a plurality of prongs ada ted to enter the eyelets at one of the eyeleted edges of a boot or shoe at its outer side, and the eyelets at the opposite eyeleted edge of the boot or shoe from its inner side, said prongs being bent to present a depression. The bar or carrier is shown as presenting at its upper end a spring extension having a suitable eye or receiver to receive one end-of a locking device shown as a pin mounted loosely at the lowerend of the bar or carrier.

Preferably the junction of the locking device and the bar will be substantially "central with relation to the eyelet holes in the eyeleted edges of the upper when the holder 7 is in operative position, and the prongs are shown as pivotally mounted upon thebar,

and also adjustable on said bar up and down so that the distancebetween the prongs may be varied to adapt them to enter eyelets spaced in any regular or irregular. manner.

Figure 1 shows my novelholder in POSl. tion for holding the flies or eyeleted edges of a boot or shoe; Fig. 2 shows the holder detached and unlocked; Fig. 3 is a. view of the holder below the dotted line 00, Fig. 1';

Fig. 4, a view below the dotted line 02 Fig. 5, a modification to be described, and Fig. 6 is a modification showing a bar or carrier in which the free lateral swinging movement of the prongs is restricted. i

The holder in the form in which I have herein chosen to illustrate myinvention, see

Figs. 1 to 4, is composed of metal and presents a bar or carrier a, said bar or carrier having at its lower end an extension c,'herei n around the bar or carrier a.

and at its end said extension has twoas provided with a plurality of prongs, 1), four being herein represented, saidprongs being represented as composed of wire, the ends ofthe prongs next the bar or carrier having wound portions to present hubs which are adapted to rotate about the bar or carrier, and they may also be moved vertically thereon in order to adapt the prongs to the positions of the eyelet holes in the flies, such adjustment enabling the prongs to readily enter the eyelet holes of any desired or usual spacin even though it may be more or less irregu ar. The eye 0 of the extension 0 receives the lower end of the locking device, shown as a bent pin, said locking device being free to turn on or about the extension or lower end of the bar orcarrier, the upper end of the locking device being adapted to enter one or the other of theeyes or receiving portions' of the extension 0 according to the requirements of the boot or shoe to which the holder is applied.

' Viewlng Fig; 3, a will be seen that the extension atthe top of the bar or carrier is concave, and also that the prongs are concave midway their ends, thus adapting them to fit the convexity of the shoe upper and the last uponwhich the upper is placed. It will be obvious that the extent to which these prongs are concaved may be varied according "to the particular style of last used. The prongs near their ends have at their outer sides a sort of notch or depression 2 formed by the convex side of the prong and the end portion ofthe prong, Whichlatter extends at an angle to the body portion. \Vhen the prong is in operative position in a shoe, as shown in Figs. 1, 8, and 4, the depressionQ forms a seat for the eyelet which is nearer the outer end of the prong. The eyelet in the opposite fly finds a seat in a somewhat similar depression or angle formed near the inner end of the prong by the curved body portion of the prong and thatp'ortion which is wound The bar or carrier forms a stop to hold the eyelet of one shoe fly in the last-mentioned seat while the locking device holds the eyelet of the other shoe fly in the depression 2. By formmg the prongs with depressions, as described, a smoother fitting of the flies when the last is in the shoe is obtained than would otherwise be secured. It will be understood,

' .position'under the free ends however,..that the depressions are not essentia'l because the carrier or bar a andfthe locking device form stops for determining the position of the eyelets on the prongs and nectedfromthe holder. v

lVhen the holder, shown in Figs. 1 to t inclusive, is applied to ashoe for securing the flies thereof in substantially their nor-- mal {position while tlie shoe is being shaped to the-last andysubjected to the other usual operations, the prongs ortransverse members Zr willbe threaded through the eyelets oft-lie two flies successively as illustrated in 1. The prongs are passed through the eye-lets o'f' the left hand flyfrom the outer side-and the eyelets of the right hand fly ir'om'thesinner side. As the holder is usual-1y inserted be-fore the-shoe upper is applied to the last,' t-l-1eflies may be held together with the opposite eyelet-s in alinement and the prongs very readily passed through the eyelets; The locking device is next moved into of the prongs, as shown in Figs. 1 and i, and the member :0 lifted-to allow the end of the locking device toent'er oneof the eyes-0 oz c according to whether the flies are to be held with their edges substantially parallel or with their "edges diverging slightly. The locking device securely retains the flies upon the holder so that there is no liability of-a'ny "eyelet getting ofl prong either before or after the last'is inserted. When the upper is drawn about the last, the eyelets on right hand side become seated in the de .pression 2 or against the shoulder formed; by the 'free endofthe prong and are securely The eyelets retained by the locking device. Yofthe left hand fiy become seated in the depression or angle formed at the inner end of the iprong ad acent to the carrier 0, sa1d carrier serving as a 'tion of the eyelet. b of the holder, the transverse stop to limit the posi- The transverse members formed of separate pieces, but this is not essential -to the invention, noris the particu lar form of connection between the members, i

see Fig. 5, may be concave on the side-next to "the last and may be .pivotally mounted in an eye 5 at'the extreme lower end-of-the baror carrier.

In Fig. 6 the depressionin the outer face 'o-f'the prong receives'a part of the eyelet in the right hand eyeleted edge of the shoe, Figs.1a1nd'3.

It will be understood that the invention the the bar or'carrier a-by which members are connected toegether, and the locking device are shown asis not limited to the particular number or shape of the eyes or receiving portions, and any shaped eye-or portion adapted to receive the free end of the locking device and retain it in desired position is considered as within tlie seope of this invention.

This invention is not limited to the precis'e number of prongs, as it will be obvious that the number may be varied as desired, and a holder with one prong and a locking device would come within the scope of my invention. The prongs may be made of wire or of pieces of metal or other material of any desired shape.

In Fig. 1 I'have shown the edges of the eyeleted flies at the points where the eyelets are entered by the prongs of the holding device, as sprung open in orderto better represent the prongs in place, but it will be understood in practice that the edges of the eyeleted flies will stand substantially close together and substantially parallel one with relation 'to the other.

V In the modification Fig. 6, I have shown in cross section a bar or carrier which is made oblong although it might be of any suitable shape other than round, and the inner end of the prong is made to embrace the said rod or carrier loosely, butin this embodiment of my invention the swinging movement of the prongs is somewhat limited. This construction may be" employed if desired, and is found advantageous in some instances.

Having described, my invention, whatl claim as new and desire to secure by Letters QP-atentis v V 1.. A holder for shoe'flies constructed and ar anged to be disconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension, comprisinga plurality-of prongs having between their ends a portion concave on the side next to the last, theouter end'of each prong pro- .j'ecting beyond the concave portion, said .prongs being formed to enter -eyelet holes in one fly from its outer face and eyelet holes in the opposite fly from its inner face, whereby both ends of the prongs will be exposed outside the flies.

2. A holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be-discon'nected from one oflihe gflies while the'flies-are-under tension, consisting of a carrier ha ving-a plurality of prongs 'to enterieyeletsofboth flies, and-a locking devieeflexibly eQnnectedwith said carrier and coeperating withsaid prongs.

'3. A holder for shoe fliesconstructed and arranged to be disconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension and comprising a carrier presenting a plurality of substantially parallel prongs connected at one endto the carrier, concaved at their undersides next-the last and provided near their free ends with a depression.

4. A holder for shoe flies constructed and tion as said extension, said prongs being formed and arranged to connect eyelets on opposite flies, and a locking device flexibly connected with the lower end of the carrier and engaging by its free end said extension, substantially as described; j

5. A holder for shoe flies composed of a bar adapted to lie at the outside of one vof the eyeleted edges or flies, said bar having a series of prongs adapted to be inserted through a series of opposed-eyelets at opposite sides of the eyeleted fly, and a'lock ing device loosely pivotally mounted upon said bar and adapted to overlap the'free ends 7 of the prongs when in operative osition, and means to retain in locked position the free end of said locking device, substantially as described. l

6. In a holder for shoe flies, a bar or carrier, a prong extended therefrom and adapted to enter from one side eyelets of both flies of a shoe, and a locking device flexibly connected with said carrier and cooperating with the free end of the said 1 prong, the prong extending beyond the locking device when said locking device is in its operative position. f

7 A holder for shoe flies presenting a bar or carrier having loosely mounted upon it and extended therefrom at right angles a plurality of prongs, said prongs being free not only to swing about said bar or carrier as a center, but also to be moved longitudinally thereon to adapt them to different spacings of eyelets, and a lockingv device connected to said carrier andadapted to cooperate with the free ends of said prongs, substantially as described. v

8. A holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension, comprising a carrier presenting a plurality of substantially parallel prongs varying in length, said prongs being bent or slightly oflset near their outer ends and concaved at their sides next to the last, and adapted to enter the eyelet holes in one shoe fly from the outer side thereof and the eyelet holes of the opposite fly from the inner side thereof.

9. A' holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension and presenting a bar and a plurality of prongs extended therefrom, said prongs being provided near their outer ends with a depres;

sion.

10. A holder for shoe flies presenting a bar and a plurality of concave prongs extended therefrom, the upper and lower ends of said the carrier and pro- 'jecting laterally therefrom in the same direc- I'ing between the flies and in opposite flies, and a connection between the carrier and transverse member arranged to permit a limited relative swinging moveholder presenting angulararms concave to fit the concave exterior of the shoe surround ing the last, an independent locking device connected to one of said arms; the upper end of said holder being shaped to engage the locking device when the latter is in its operative position.

11. A holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension and comprising a carrier and a plurality of laterally projecting prongs connected to the carrier and formed to enter the eyelet holes in onefly from the outer side and the eyelet holes in the other fly from the inner side, each prong having between its ends a concave portion and a depression located at the junction of the concave portion with the 'free end portion and adapted-to form an eyelet seat.

' 12. A holder for-shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from one of the sflles while the fl1es are under tension, comprising a carrier,

and a plurality of prongs secured at one end to .the carrier and extend ed laterally therefrom, said prongs being concave on their under sides to adapt them tofit the last and being provided on their outer sides near their free ends with depressions to form seats for the shoe eyelets.

' .13. In a holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from one ofthe flies while the flies are under tension, .a carrier formed to extend lengthwise of the edge of one shoe fly, and a transverse member adapted to extend across the opento engage eyelets ment. 7

14. A holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension,

comprising a plurality of members connected together at one end and separable from one another at their ends farthest from said.

connection, means carried by one of said members to extend across the opening between the flies of a shoe for connecting the opposed flies, eyelet seats formed in said connecting means near its opposite ends, and means for retaining said members in position to maintain said connection between the flies.

15. A holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension, comprising a plurality of prongs adapted to extend across the opening between the flies of a shoe, each of said prongs being formed concave on its under side, an eyelet seat formed in one end of each prong, and a connecting member to which the prongs are o111ed at their other ends.

plurality of transverse jacent to the carrier member of :the other fly.

16. A holder for shoe flies, comprisinga members adapted to extend across the opening between the flies of a shoe "and provided near their ends with seats for the eyelets of opposite flies, said transverse members being concave on their under sides next to the last, and being relatively movable laterally to engage eyelets spaced different distances apart, combined with an unyielding connecting memher to which the transverse members are joined at one end beyond the seats.

17. A holder for shoeflies constructed and arranged to bedisconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension, comprising an unyielding carrier member, and a plurality of transverse members formed to extend across the opening between the flies of a shoe, said transverse members being concave on their sides next to the last, and presenting seats for the eyelets of opposed flies.

18. A holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from oneof the flies while the flies are under tension, comprising an unyielding carrier member, and a plurality of transverse members formed to extend across the opening between the flies of a shoe, said transverse members being concave on their sides next to the last, seats in the transverse members near their free ends for the eyelets of one fly, and other seats in the transverse members adfor the eyelets 19.A holder for shoe flies constructed and arranged to be disconnected from one of the flies while the flies are under tension,

comprising a plurality of transverse members adapted to extend across the opening between the flies of a shoe and to engage eyelets in opposite flies, a member connecting said transverse members, and a locking member arranged with relation to said trans verse members to prevent Withdrawal of said members from the eyelets.

20. A holder for shoe flies, comprising a plurality of transverse members of different lengths adapted to extend across the openingbetween the flies of a shoe and to engage carrier,

end of the holder flies in di eyelets in opposite flies, a member connecting said transverse members at one end, and a locking member cooperating with the other ends of said transverse members to prevent withdrawal of said members from the eyelets.

21. A holder for shoe flies, comprising a plurality of transverse members adapted to extend across the opening between the flies of a shoe, said members being concave on the sides next to the last and provided. near their opposite ends with seats for the eyelets of opposed flies, a member connecting said transverse members near one end, and a locking member cooperating with the opposite ends of said transverse members.

22. In a holder for shoe flies, a bar or a prong extended therefrom and adapted to enter from one side the eyelets of both flies of a shoe, eyelet seats formed in the opposite end portions of the prong, a securing member flexibly connected with said carrier and arranged to interlock with the free end of said prong, and means for holding said securing member in interlock ing relation with said prong.

A holder for shoe flies, comprising a bar and a series of prongs formed and arranged to connect eyelets on opposite flies of the shoe extended therefrom, combined with a locking member and means for securing the locking member in diflerent operative positions with relation to the prongs.

24. A holder for shoe flies, comprising a bar and a series of prongs extended therefrom and adapted to extend through eyelets upon opposite flies of the shoe, combined with a locking member connected with one and detachably engaged with the other end, and means for securing the lockin member in position to hold the Eerent relative positions.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH J. SMITH.

Witnesses GEO. lV. GREGORY, Masai, PARTELow. 

